


Soften the Blows

by yslana



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: Gen, Post-Here Lies the Abyss, Warden Alistair, brief appearance by Sera, mentioned Alistair/Tabris
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-25 11:03:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 645
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15639438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yslana/pseuds/yslana
Summary: Alistair is surprisingly unfazed by Nightmare's taunts and figures Morrigan is to blame. He probably ought to thank her.





	Soften the Blows

The first thing Alistair does when he gets back to Skyhold is sleep for three days. The second thing he does is thank Morrigan for being such an ass all the time.

"Thank you for being such an ass to me all the time during the Blight," he tells her, out in her corner of the gardens where no one can see them speaking.

A testament to how the years—and her son—have changed her, she sizes him up before biting back. "You're serious. Shall I write Kallian to say that her husband has finally lost his mind in the Fade?"

"No, don't worry, I'll deliver the bad news myself. Though I'm sure she'd love to hear from you now that you've rejoined the world."

She makes a noncommittal sound, but he thinks there's a good chance she might follow through as long as he doesn't pester her about it.

"So, what has inspired this rush of gratitude?"

He recalls, viscerally, wandering through Nightmare's realm with that disembodied voice taunting each of them in turn. On his turn, the small spurt of fear and embarrassment—but mostly, a strange concoction of relief and disappointment. _That's all you've got?_

"After running around Ferelden with you, hearing a Nightmare demon mock my worst fears just doesn't compare. Especially since I don't care what it thinks of me."

"But you did care what I thought?"

He rubs the back of his neck and finds a very interesting leaf to look at. "Kallian valued your opinion. When you joked about how great a frog I'd make, I worried she'd never look at me the same."

"I was rather insufferable, wasn't I?" She chuckles, drawing his gaze back. Her expression could almost be described as rueful. "Ah, well. 'Tis doubtful you deserved my constant scorn, I admit, but at least some good came of it. And luckily Kallian never cared one whit about my opinion of you."

He can feel a tiny smile fighting for control of his mouth. It's an unfamiliar sensation when it comes to Morrigan. "It... means a lot to hear that from you, honestly."

She smiles back. An actual smile, not just a smirk. This might be a first for them. "Perhaps I have changed more than I realized."

"Well, I should be going." He's not exactly eager to be on the road, but he doesn't want to overbalance this new equlibrium with Morrigan.

He turns to leave, but her voice stops him.

"Alistair," she says, tone dark and mysterious, and he shifts to put her in view again. "Weisshaupt is not what it once was and the Wardens there may not see things the way you do. Be cautious."

"Thank you." From her, such a warning is more ominous than its obscurity would otherwise merit. He wonders what knowledge she possesses. How could she even know his plans? He's told only Hawke and the Inquisitor.

"The Inquisitor did not have the luxury of passing out immediately after returning," she adds as if reading his mind or, more likely, his face.

"Ah." Right, Morrigan is on her war council. Though the poor Inquisitor was dead on her feet before they even left Adamant. Hopefully she finds a chance to rest before the next bloody disaster. "Take care, Morrigan."

This time he succeeds in leaving her hidden garden nook only to smack right into the blonde archer in the garish red jacket.

"Watch where you're going, yeah!" she demands angrily, then cuts his apology off with unprecendented speed. "And what was that, anyway? Some sort of rendezvous with the creepy witch lady? Aren't you supposed to be married?" Her eyes flash down to the plain ring on his left hand.

Alistair can't help it—he laughs in her face. He laughs back to the great hall, down the steps, and all the way out of Skyhold.

**Author's Note:**

> (Sshhh, Hawke lives too.)


End file.
